Larry Cruz
Encyclopedia
Lorenzo "Larry" J. Cruz (September 17, 1941 – February 4, 2008) was a Filipino
restaurateur who founded the LJC Restaurant Group, which operates several restaurants in the Philippines. Among the restaurants he established through the LJC Group were Café Adriatico, Cafe Havana, Bistro Remedios, and Abe, which was named after his father, the writer E. Aguilar Cruz. Cruz was also a journalist and magazine publisher.
Before entering the restaurant business, Cruz was a reporter for the Manila Times
and the Philippine Herald. In the 1960s, he joined the staff of a Hong Kong-based magazine. In the early years of the administration of Philippine President
Ferdinand Marcos
, Cruz was a member of the presidential press office.
Cruz, who was not a chef himself, established Café Adriatico in Malate, Manila
in 1979. The venture proved successful and helped revitalize the Malate area, other restaurants and cafes opening in the vicinity in the midst of the Adriatico's success. Cruz expanded his restaurant business with the opening of several other restaurants within Metro Manila
through the LJC Restaurant Group. At the time of his death in 2008, Cruz had opened fourteen restaurants in the Philippines. Several of his restaurants featured Filipino and Kapampangan cuisine.
In the late 1980s, Cruz published Metro Magazine, a city guide/political/lifestyle magazine inspired by New York Magazine
and Vanity Fair
. He later sold the magazine to Eugenio Lopez, Jr.
in order to finance the expansion of his restaurants.
Upon his death on February 4, 2008, following complications from cancer, Cruz was hailed at the time of his death as the leading Filipino "pioneer in theme or concept restaurants" and the man who had "shaped Philippine café society".
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
restaurateur who founded the LJC Restaurant Group, which operates several restaurants in the Philippines. Among the restaurants he established through the LJC Group were Café Adriatico, Cafe Havana, Bistro Remedios, and Abe, which was named after his father, the writer E. Aguilar Cruz. Cruz was also a journalist and magazine publisher.
Before entering the restaurant business, Cruz was a reporter for the Manila Times
Manila Times
The Manila Times is the oldest existing English language newspaper in the Philippines. It is published daily by The Manila Times Publishing Corp. with editorial and administrative offices at 371 A...
and the Philippine Herald. In the 1960s, he joined the staff of a Hong Kong-based magazine. In the early years of the administration of Philippine President
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
, Cruz was a member of the presidential press office.
Cruz, who was not a chef himself, established Café Adriatico in Malate, Manila
Malate, Manila
Malate is an old district of the city of Manila in Metro Manila, the Philippines. The district is located at the southern end of the city of Manila, bordered by Pasay City to the south, by Manila Bay to the west, by the district of Ermita to the north and by the districts of Paco and San Andres to...
in 1979. The venture proved successful and helped revitalize the Malate area, other restaurants and cafes opening in the vicinity in the midst of the Adriatico's success. Cruz expanded his restaurant business with the opening of several other restaurants within Metro Manila
Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila , the National Capital Region , or simply Metro Manila, is the metropolitan region encompassing the City of Manila and its surrounding areas in the Philippines...
through the LJC Restaurant Group. At the time of his death in 2008, Cruz had opened fourteen restaurants in the Philippines. Several of his restaurants featured Filipino and Kapampangan cuisine.
In the late 1980s, Cruz published Metro Magazine, a city guide/political/lifestyle magazine inspired by New York Magazine
New York (magazine)
New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
and Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
. He later sold the magazine to Eugenio Lopez, Jr.
Eugenio Lopez, Jr.
Eugenio Lopez, Jr. , popularly known as Geny and Kapitan, was the Chairman Emeritus of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation.-Early life and career:...
in order to finance the expansion of his restaurants.
Upon his death on February 4, 2008, following complications from cancer, Cruz was hailed at the time of his death as the leading Filipino "pioneer in theme or concept restaurants" and the man who had "shaped Philippine café society".